HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1932-12-15, Page 140- Thuteday. December 1b t, 1932
THE SIGNAL
— GODERICH, ONT.
The Black Box of Silence
N' N. U. Servloe.
By FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyright by William Gerard Chapman.
@YATnP>!Itt finds bkidea there two loaded antoma
Chapter L -Having demonstrated the tic revolvers and a compete set of but
glare tools. Canby. returning, brings
the revolvers sad barglar'a kit to the
hotel clerk, claiming to have
just found them in his room.
That night the sate In the bank of the
email town of Perthdale is blown open
and looted, the noise of the expioalon
being unheard. Satisfied that his "black
box" L In the hands of crooks and la
being put to the ages he feared, Landis,
with Markham, drives at once to Perth -
dale.
power of an extraordinary silencer,
the "Black Box," which he has per-
fected, Owes Landis, young inventor,
1n the little town of Carthage, confides
to Ws chum, Wally Markham, that he
Pears the device, if exploited, might be
used for evU purposes. That night the
black box is stolen from a safe In Lan-
aW laboratory.
Mosier IL-I*ndle toil Markham
the M1y parson, besides himself, know-
ing the combination of the safe. L
Betty Lawson, with whom the Inven-
tor L In love. Martha= takes a plas-
ter cast of a woman's footprint, found
beneath the window of the laboratory.
Chapter HL -Betty, daughter of a
college professor, is well known to
Markham. Both he and Landis believe
iter to be above suspicion, but to assure
Massed he takes an opportunity to fit
Oa cast to one of Betty's shoes. They
Om identical. Betty tell, him Herbert
Cosby, a stranger 1n tows. who is pos-
Wjses a "promoter," had driven her
e from the theatre for previews
n ight, and that she had dosed in the
ear. Markham does not tell Landis of
Ms discovery. That the girl should
have deliberately stolen the Invention
from Landis' safe is unthinkable, but
the evldence of the plaster cast seems
to prove she was present at the time of
the robbery.
Chapter IV.- jrkbam. veinal sus-
picious of Canby's honesty, searches
hie hotel room. In his absence. He
TRY OWL
Golden Guernsey
MILK
monur
Table Crania
• Whipping naCrew m
Safe, because it is all pro-
dneed from a Government -
inspected Herd.
Your pationage collected
Aif. McManus Dairy-
-PHONE 53$.l
•
•
Have you tried the
WELSH COAL ?
I am expecting my second car
fcriatitveis sevbre -•ate-'or."
den, as the first car was sold
out In a few days.
Customers are greatly pleased
with It, for its clean -burning
and heat -giving qualities.
Also Anthracite, Pocohontas
and Coke.
L. FLICK
Telephone 178j Goderich
Chapter V. -At Perthdale they and
confirmation of their team. Three
strangers, riding in a Fleetwing, and
claiming to be business mea of Louis-
ville, are the only posatble suspects.
Markham and Dandle decide to follow
them, although advices from Louis-
ville seem to guarantee the standing of
the three. At &. Joseph Markham
sees Canby's car, a Nordyke. He learns
Canby 1s driving west, with Betty
Lawson and her father as his guests
in the car. The Fieetwing, Markham'*
CV. and the Nordyke form a prover
stun on the 1P1ie`s Pear highway.' --
Chapter VL -While be and Landis
are sleeping, Markham's car L stolen
and wrecked. He buys another, and
they go on. On the road to the mining
town of Copah they get news of the
Fleetwing ahead of them. At a hotel
in Copah they meet Betty. She is sur-
prised at their preeenca-in the West,
and modeles the reason fpr her and
her father's journey. Markham ever -
herr. a conversation between Canby
and the three Louisville men which
eoevinees him he 1s on the right track.
Golder VII! -Markham: and Landis
follow the three men in the =lee winL-
Tbey and the commissary of the Cinna-
bar mine has been held up and robbed
end two men killed. Again there was
no sound of the explosion. At Brew-
ster they learn of the arrival of Canby
and_ da party, liarkham meets a dis-
tant .relative, William Starbuck, mine
owner. Ile gives them time Informa-
tion which pies up the evidence as to
Canby's crookedness.
MOM VIII -At the hotel they
meet Oenby. He tells them he is 1n
the West on business connected with
his mine, the "Old Quavap•1." Betty
and her father are with him as guests,
the professor being 1n*ereabed in pal-
eontology. Landis and Markham are
assaulted on the street by knife wield-
ers, but beat off their assailants.
Henceforth, Markham decides, the two
of them will go "heeled," their enemies
evidently having become desperate.
Chopbr 1.X. --Landis, despondent be-
cause of itis belief that Betty is in love
with Casbg M encouraged by Mark-
ham. Leaving the car to investigate a
burned auto. off the road. they are shot
at, but unharmed. The shooters de -
Mere they took the two to be bean,
which they were bunting. levideooe,
later, convinces Markham and Landis
Stet the shooting was attempted mar-
�tcs: mss
. -
CHAPTER X
The Laaeavllie Three
in the evening Landis briefly an-
nounced his Intention of going to call
upon Betty.
"Don't want me aloug?"
"No, thanks; 111 go alone."
Left to himself Markham lighted a
elan and picked a quiet corner of the
lobby in which to read. Soon Iandis
returned, the frown of his departure
deepening to an unwonted scowl.
"No luck r said Wally, noting the
scowl.
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Su erior - tures
* .aoOW tie* 2 stoat'
J. all. McEyreaJ. Calvin Cutt
r•
"No. She's woe out somewhere -
with (lathy."
"You didn't see the p.ofemorr
"No; he has tom to'the fossil fields.
somewhere, wherever they are. 1
visited with the &Illtags--mostly Mr -
Stilling*, 1n Ids den."
"Just friendly gossip!"
"Not altogether. Betty's been talk -
Ing about us and that broke the ice.
The ildiLlamt deer quite like the way
she's letting Canby cut In."
"That's tato aftermath of hr seen
ishnese out berg last summer, I sup -
"Not so mach that as other things.
Stilling* thinks Canby is fixing to pall
off sometdog eine ; and that be is taring
Betty in some way."
'But bow could Betty figure in any
of his schemes?"
"God knows. But It's plain Still-
ing* believes she doter -innocently, of
course. He was cautious until he found
out where we eland; tbeu he intimated
that It was up to us to put a spoke lu
Canby's wheeL"
"Good. You'll do It? Your black box
Is here, and the men who have 1t know
we hare followed them, and that they
won't be safe until they get rid of us.
There are four men In it, and Canby 1s
the fourth."
"And the three others -are they the
men who ran their car off the road
and burned k? How can that be if
they are what they have appeared to
be sit ttong--th*ee well-known busi-
ness men of Loulaville?" •
"I don't know. But never ml*d that.
What we have to do first is to tut Bet-
ty out of it. Let's get to bed."
in accordance wkh the program
which Landis bad mapped out,.the two
of them promptly laid siege to Miss
jietty Lawson. In a week-long contest
thus ushered 1a, Canby fought stub-
bornly for Alice, and there were num-
erous eollbloaa- wtrleh seemed to af- he ran a little way put the men, and
ford ![Loa Betty no little quiet amore when they came up be was ready with
must. an apology. Before he could make
On the seventh day, when Markham,
taking his turn. had her out la the III the door on his tilde was }erectkeopen
blue roadster, she said, "What makes t and he goand lltagg� out of
the car, onnee oof f the pair clamped him in
Oki Maio=
U
RAYti of .the old illusion*
al Theme are the sweetest yet
Believing there is a Santa Clem,
Forgetting the foam and fist;
Hearing the music of latait
things in the morning of
Christmas cheer.
When love wee a harp en the
tree d dawn rind happloem
bending near.
I'm foud of the old Musicals --
And what If they do Ulude?
Isn't it fine for the fancy's sake
To eat of the fairy food?
Patching the whisper a tso-
went elfin ss things can be,
And the cedar bough and the
citroowood and the globes O[
the holly tree.
Behave In the old illusions,
And pay the scoffer no heed -
For, oh, how far from the stain
and' soar
And the ache and pain they lead,
Down into lands of visions and
far on the peaks of light,
With the holy star et a golden
faith aglow through the deep
of night.
you and Owen freeae the and refuse to
talk when I say anything about Bert,
Wally? What hes he dose to make
you hate him!' _ __ _.__. -.-
"We have never bad lamb to do with
him, either of us," Markham evaded.
Then, bluntly, "Are you going to marry
him, Betty?'
Sbe laughed. "Do you know of any
reason why I shouldn't?'
"Perhaps not any reason that would
appeal to you."
That te dodging," she retorted
brightly. "As a friend don't you think
you ought to tell m if there U a rea-
son?"
"Yes; and get myself written down
in your black book! No, thank you.
my dear."
"All right; don't, then. I'II ask
Owen." Then, "Why won't you tell
me why you and Owen are oat here,
Wally?"
a vise -like grip while the other threw
a blanket peer his head. It was dons
so quickly that he was half smothered
before he !sauced that this didn't at
square with what Smith had told him Ot
the sheriff and his methods ; that he bad
to deal. not with officers of the law, but
with mysterious assailants who had
tried from time to time to efface him
sad Landis. And then the fight was
on.
With his arms fast clamped In the
grip of the man behind him, Markham
could not get at the holstered pistol
under bis coat. But hie legs were
free, aid a swift kick doubled the
blaaketholder up and made him loose
his hold long enough to enable Mart -
ham to shake his head free of the stifl-
htg folds. Instantly he backed the
tamper violently against the standing
car, bending him over the fender until
"1 have told you. Can't we have a I be was forced to let go to save hlmself
vacation am well as other folks?" I from having his back broken.
"That 1s ekactly what Owen said -At that, Markham got his weapon
yesterday ; and it means just as much out, but now the two were between him
-or as little. If you and Owen can't � end the car and he couldn't are with -
trust me, I can be clammy, too." out taking a chant* of bitting Betty.
"Now you hare got me climbing up The faces saw their aavants a and
■ tree," laughed Markham. "Why flung themseivee upon him, the shorter
shouldn't we both trust yah?" of the two crouching low to grab at his
hof t(€ liftebre.ege pea Midair me bpietineh and tried to twist the autamatie
day! {f oat of his grasp. There was a whirl-
"Out to meet some friends !herbed th
I wind wrestling match, and Is e midst
'n
has found fors; the John Smiths." of this there came a glare of Arm Mid
-Distinguished name," she giggled. a reticent' blast of an onto bora. Mark -
"But I know who they are. Mrs John
Is the daughter of Col. Dexter Baldwin,
the Timanyonl wheat king."
"Right. And the colonel's home, and
the Smith's-Hillcrest-Ia a show
place.-"
"But i understand they are not at
bonne."
"They are not ; they're touring the
Yellowstone. it's the Smiths we're
calling upon. They are running tate
big ranch In the colonel's absence."
In dne Bourse the blue roadster was
parked In the Hillcrest garage, and in
(iron timlth Mho Heady . speedily
found a kindred spirit. And when
Smith came home and added his Wets -
tepee to Corona's urgings that the call-
ers any to dyer, Waal rejoiced
efreeb. For Betty accepted the invi-
tation, calling the Millings house over
the phone to let her city hostess know
where she was.
After she was through telephoning.
Markam called up Landis_
"Any derelopmeater he asked.
"No," came the answer. "Where are
you?'
"Out at HiScrest, and we are May-
tag
apIng for dinner. You're not forgetting
that this is the showdown day -the
twenty-eighth r
"No ; but not ody has turned up yet.
I'.s watching the register."
"Right again. 191 be with you later.
Call me if anything breaks loose."
After Smith had invoked an .fter-
dlnner cigar with his man guest In the
colonel's den, he meld regretfully that
he'd have to excuse himself ; that he
was due to meet the west -bound Flyer
which was bringing some of his busi-
ness associates from the Fast
"It's perfectly all right," Markham
assured him. "Welt have to be going.
too. L promised Mrs. Stiihlnafs I
wouldn't keep Betty out late."
When the good -toys were said, 8mkh
wett with Markham to the garage.
"You'll treat me to town," he said; "1111
have to stop and fill up. And that re-
minds tne; there's been a good bit of
whisky running from the hills north of
as lately, and today the sheriff gave as
s tip, 1t'. Wkly he and some of at. de-
putes may be on the road between
here and town. 1t you're stopped. Jost
tike It easy. Herding wwe't be roads
gotta yen."
nisei obliged for the hint i 11 be
law-abiding."
After they bed driven out .t the
HUhwest grounds, Markhams•tntd Betty
of the warning Smyth had given him.
"Just so you won't be seared stiff if we
should happen to be tamped." be
added
"i don't ware an wily ss all that"
was the ready answer. "Dlde't Mr.
Smith say be was going to town, Over
"Yea; but he had to stop and ell up
'Irwin est until dm distant lights of
1lrsihiii fztstirs111. a fit 'Mai' • thaw
hesllsmgs .bowed them as **batted
ear halt kh*daa�kaenstealdmr the re ir a.
a mo
s.M . d1i �e, awe au reel eat
ad elPated him Oa atop
IWeslewisttag 1W dieleass atl�tlfr.
•
ham saw the headlights of an ap
tproaching car and saw Betty running
to meet it, frantically waving her arms
to stop It.
That ended it. As the oncoming car
came to a brake -squealing stand and
Smith sprang out of it, the two men
ran for their car, gained It, flung them-
selves in and were gone.
When Smith and Betty came running
up, Markham was beating the dust out
of his clothes. For Betty's sake he
tried to laugh the Incident off.
"Thought you said the sheriff's men
wouldn't roughhouse me. Mr. [Smith,"
he chuckled.
"Good Lord --those fellows were not
Harding'* men : they were just plain
holdups! Are you hnrtr'
"140; just warmed ups bit, that's alt.
Scare you Telt to death, Betty!'
"N -not quite that [tad. 'But It was
pwtty dreadful."
As she spoke there came the crack of
■ gun from somewhere on ahead, and
then another and a third. Betty pot
her hands to her ears and said, "Dear
me, are we going to get into more of
it?"
"•1 gums not," mid Smith. "Bim in -
dined to think that was Harding try-
ing to stop those fellows."
A mile or more farther on they !bald
the sheriff and two of his deputies
standing in the road. Martham pulled
up and wafted, earl Smith got out of
Isis esr and walked on to speak to the
sheriff.
"My guess was right," he said, when
he came hack. "Theo went iy here,
merely bttting the high spots, and
Harding trf*d to *toy them; shot at
their dies but appnseutty roamed the
mark. Aaybow, they didn't atop. I
told Harding what they did to yo%
and he says heli try to trail the
scoundrel• and bring 'em to book. i
geese we're safe to go on to tows,
A few minutes' fan' driving brought
the e- bo the bridge over the TJaas
yowl ; and Bm dth ear turned off to the
railroad atatioe. The fest drive had
been made 1n silence, but after Mark-
ham had helped his *saturate out et the
curb the young woman broke it
"Wally, where could i end you or
Owen galckiy. if I should need tor"
nit. asked.
"Why, we are at dm Ho4bra house,
as you know."
"Yes; but you are not there elf the
thee.'•
Markham did it bit of quick thtnkiag.
"Are yon asking seriously, Betty!
"Yea Don't ask foe why. I cak't
tell you--y.t. Bat-"
"191 promise that one or the other of
to wi11 away. be withta meek of the
hotel phase WUI that do T'
"Yee, than= you. (rood Mght."
81t �pi4td_Aat12.AA tsaka
otem h i
..?at«=oamelma g pac«wl� -
trirt. Os fthe way he wsa
why the had hada her
upset. sail * was alp w
iMP hal 9* Stu car efy sad wee iAterta4
the lobby of the hind.
Upsides tar L.mdtb he emeneil te the
counter. 'lite key to their oohs was In
Ito ptgeoniola., whkk aasaat that Lan-
dis had net gees upstairs. Martha=
spoke to the dark.
"Seem mats; of Mr. Landis!
"War, TM; ho was ttebt here • tads
Mille ago."
"You don't know where he weotr
"No, 1 --hold on, yes 1 do, too. Mr.
alerted phoned Por him from his of -
floe memo the street, and ea+ wrgt over
"What's their' Markham snapped.
"Mr. Starbeck isn't in tows. He went
to Copah last night to meet its wife
and daugteter !"
"He must have returned," said the
clerk. "The pperator said the phone
tail was from 4im." '
Markham turned away vaguely dia.
Oohed. An attempt had been made to
kldpaphlei, and only the opportune en-
maraud
ppearane. of Belch's car had made it
fid. Had a stellar attempt been made
to trap Landis? As be heekated. be
saw Smith talking to three of the late-
ly arrived guests at the char stand.
He turned to the clerk and asked 11 he
knew the names of the three who were
with Smith.
"I do, fora tact. Theo are the three
gentlemen you were asking about when
$1011 same, a week ago; Mr. Fleming,
Mr. Cantrell and Mr. Martin, from
Louisville. They have just came to oa
the Nevada Ryer."
"Not driving!'
"No; they started out to drive and
cams pant of the way by motor. But
they hind had lack with Shear car and
left it at one of their stopovers."
Markham looked again at the three
mm. Nut In any stogie particular did
they resemble the three who had been
registering under the sage names half-
way across the coatineat and whom he
and Landis had seen leaving the lobby
of the Copeh hotel 1• eotarn -wit!
nl>r OHAPTmR X
The eo.gaeles KM
At the discovery that the thraa)!sa
talking vitth Smith were by no Mum
4
the tiers/ -who had travelled ht the
Fleetwing, Markham's flrrt impulse
was to introduce Monet prang=
the ptirpose of teals, Smith*
what he knew. Thee be remenibled
he had no hi .
three name forgers had disappeared.
His next thought was to go to search
of Iasdta As he west toward the ho-
tel entrince, he saw Canby step oat of
an elevator and go quickly to shake
bands with the new arrivals, and no-
ticed that Smith waved the three a
good night and turned sway -s but of
byplay that seemed to my that he did
not care to be Identified with Canby.
Markham stepped out upon the side-
walk cal glanced op at the mine office
windows. They were lighted, and be
creased the street and eliatbed the stair
to the second floor suite.
The door Was opened by an elderly
man In his shirt sleeves.
"Mr. [herbed," said Markham; "M
he here?'
"Not now," was the prompt reply ;
and then. "You are Mr. Markham? 1b
Bled to see you. I was just going to
phone the hotel to find out 1f you had
come In. You are needed. Word came
�a tittle while ego that Professor I.w-
eork had been-burt by a landslide up at
those fossil beds, and Mr. Starbuck got
yte.-h.e6lkeesstirthiVver-e-ATIVIRIMittr
there in his car. A few minute ago
they phoned and asked me to And you
and send you after them With this."
picker up a black hag. "it's the doc-
tor's instruments. Must have left them
here when he came up with Mr. Star -
buck."
Markham was deeply shocked at the
news of the profsesor'a accident.
"How badly Is Doctor Lawson hurl?"
fit. tusked.
"Pretty badly, I Judge."
"Has his daughter been told? 8he
Is stopping with the Millings."
"They didn't call her up. Mr. Star -
buck and Mr. Iandta both agreed that
It was better not to ten her untll they
found out just how bad it 1s."
"Where is this tonsil place? Can I
find it in the night?'
"Maybe you won't need to; maybe
you'll overtake the other car. I eau
show you how to go so you can't vee
well ones the way -that lr if you' don't
overtake Mr. Startmck," and epos a
sheet of wretch paper 1b* elderly man
sketched a rode outline amp, peoc4Hng
to the toad that Markham Amid tate
with the varies right and ted tore
*0l*ted by gni tlhg atrvwa. "Not
much of a mop" he apologised, "bat
maybe 4t wilt do."
Meridiem picked up the black bag.
arlrhg, "It they telephone again, tell
them In on the way and will try to
overtake them."
At the hotel garage he called for Ms
roadster sod told the night man to flU
the tank. He got to to place the car
for the filling keeping his seat moth
the man flnlsb,d and came around for
Ma pay. For this reason a dart enure
had its chance to slip unseen from the
shadows of a nearby doorway, to stoop
for a brief moment at the roar of the
cur. and thereafter to maids as !*fife
ly and sumer as k had corn..
Once across the bridge and headed
northward, Markham let the roadster
oat. lie was glad the bookkeeper bad
teM him that ntarbuek and Landis had
sot paced the dtstreaatng news on to
Betty ; thee saving her a long and
heart -breaking interval of anxiety and
uncertainty before the worst cooed be
known.
For a time nothing intervened to
make Mm sleeken speed. With the
paved road left trehtad, however, Mark -
ham's difficulties began, end be bed to
get out the acretcb-piper and follow its
markings. But. stay be had made the
ant tors sr threenetawd4dk.Md terse
a speed sisekentag Moises ftrietly obli-
gatety. Tee rend Welt mow dtgen ret -
Ing Into a cousin eget Leek among th.
hills.
Spurred ea by .the sharp ne. rendes,
Markham kept the rosdeter In motes,
.biklag matt may when i* was
obliged to. In this manner he had
made something over tweets sp..do
meter miles of bhp had ran before he
caw to the end. Oe one of the roek-
test\et the Mlle the motet coughed a
ilep th me and . isthid. and slat for errs
astlehiaree et the ate*" weak* it
aaoargr '
ant Stag dneltionnt ter "'�
natl.tereeti%ide. Sot Ar y bs MVOdtbesdas,, the Igaitiell officio~ Wte t:
rt eetMlafl's. Il at, ho LaMar no
C- - kg' tying M deed the airborne.
e
Me ---int it wouldn't [les*. With a ssa-
Mdistiea es W 111 lath. be tusk ar iii
coat and got out the tool k11, and began
to take thugs apart to probe for the
trouble.
Though he was a fairly good me
ebank•lan, the probing process proved
oto be a glutton for time, stud a hent
period of what he could well Imagine
algid be a life and death delay for
Betty's fattier wu wasted before he
had satiated himself that neither the
flea flim nor tin =kno s teak Saw .w.
aponelble for the poleax Pallors. It
was only es a hart resort that it. went
to look at the gas tank gangs. But s
single aiming of the fiathilght at the
ge nee was enough. Tloough ib was as-
sured that he had left Bremner with a
supply of assMse width should hate
taken blot Ave or six times the diolsa'e
he had travelled. the tank was now
empty- The email drain cock it the
task bottom was partly wou, with the
lama residue of .tote hlquld fuel still drip-
ping from it.
Under other conditions, and in view
of what had already happened to Alm
and Landis since leaving Carthage, bls
suspicions would doubtless have been
awakened at onus. But laboring under
fin burden of Ms atspnn.ftiltty as a
doctor's weaseager he thought of no-
thing else, and the half -open drabs
cock merely suggested one of the many
road accidents that may happen.
Ubresred by the thought that the life
of Betty's father might be banging In
the balance for the lack of the lustre-
, meets in the tettrloa'a bag,.ha Matched
1t and the mot -tied map out of the car,
and with the flashlight for a lantern,
started on afoot.
Hour after hour he pushed over a
road which finally became no road at
all, but upon which he could occasion-
ally see the tracks of an automobile.
It was these faint tire marks that
kept Lim gong, and it was cot until
the grit dsw+iii a�di halting to
Malts eft a way -worn oar drawn up in
Meet of a log cabin beside the road,
tehieb here ended abruptly, that the
aimptcion that he had been cleverly. vic-
timised struck him.
Rotors he could recover from the
blow the cabin door opsaad and an un-
shaven, gray-haired nem came out to
voice astomtahmeat at Smilag that he
a
•'Wdd4 weH. stranger f Where on top
of earth did you tumble from?' be
exiled eat
Brledy, and hurriedly, Markham ex-
plained, and the gray hared one
laughed.
"Somebody's done played a mighty
mean joke on you. I reckon. There aSol
mthln' the matter with old Doctor
Boashunter, as we call him. " He was
down here yiste'day to see if I wouldn't
drive the Lmle to town and fetch blm
out some more picks and Morel,. The
Mato were he's bonedlggin' is only
shot six m11e on through the hills Ile
ain't hurt nose. No! I reckon It's a
joke, and Ili say 1t was • mighty mean
one. Yea been tnmp(n' all night?"
"A good part of it," mid Markham,
convinced aow that be had been gotten
out of Brewster by subterfuge. Then.
overwhelmed by a sudden realisation
of what the piot might mean sot only
to himself, but also to Landie and pos-
elbly to Betty, "It Met a joke; k's the
way a bunch et welts took to get ate
oat of town and test in these hills.
!MEW Mot a eaLsattlffill be worth
hoodrikaa2i1111Wyou to gel me
back to may ear attt.gtve we gas enough
to run fie WI} k?;• -cat • "yrs dtr
kr
"If I had the gas I wouldn't hotel you
up for no rabbis' deal like 1bat. But I
ain't got it; don't reekos i set more" n
mouth to run to some place where I
kin bona enough to gel to with. Mose'n
that, 1 got to do a little tinkerin' on
the Woke afore shell run. Yon come
os In an: well see what -all we kin do
with the 111' buss -wagon."
Markham entered the cabin with his
boat and helped him cook a breakfast
of haws and pan -breed. tie learned
that Ma eatmtalner was a prospector,
and that his name was Jacks= Griggs ;
also that he knew Starhuck well. "Sure,
I Meow Billy," wee the way be put it ;
"kaowed him when he used to peach
cowl' in ['other end e' the Perk."
After breakfast they tell epos the
outworn fllvver. The old machin was
more then* wreck; overhauling killed
all of the formate before It was roa-
pleted; • period 1m whk-b Markham's
anxiety became a maddening thorn h
the Mesh.
Whit had the petters. whoever tie
were, bees doling ha Me ebeenee? What
had they dove to Lmadls? That Ow.n,
Ngo, had bees put out of the way, he
eootd not doubt fora moment That
Was the lassoing of tit lIaplwue cad
with had takes ger ta oat ve
hotel --e cal dentnissa seat by del
gray-balred assent doe who had aloud
access to the Idttle Alies oases and had
pored es the btolde per, Tina there
was Bally. Wasn't her daiger as
great as That wilds easeaced Iambs
and hlmaetfl per she know--1Lr toast
know ---that she was the ohs who, at
(ajab's tact taboo. had eamed Owen's
sate fur the abstraction of the black
box.
At last the tar eaneesaeu1 to ties, and
the ret.unt to Brewster was begem. 1t
was a slow business over the wrenched
road, and llarkttam's need at deep was
so overpowering that be adept in ht.
seat moos[ of the way.
Aa Griggs 'bad predicted, he had
barely gas enough to enable them to
reach the Arg[ house um the paved
rand ; bat here they borrowed esouga
to make the run to town. At the hoed
entrance Markham pressed a liberal
reward upon the old yeomen*, and
Married la. Aa be passed through the
Mvoil�$ngg doors a man accosted hint. It
was dttllings ; and before he spoke,
Markham bad read the story of *a-
xiom worry in lila face.
"Mho Betty !" mid the lawyer qukk-
b "Do you know what has become of
herr
"1 left her at your house last algid
about trine o'clock. 1)p you seam to
"She didn't go into the house." Sti11-
lues itmrnested sharply- "Yeas didn't
see hsr go in, did you'
"No, bort I saw her go up the step to
the porch."
StUlUep explained naptdly.
'We were out for a call on ooe of the
nrlghbun, and when Miss Betty tele
pbened to say that you were staying at
Hillcrest for dinner, Mrs. Whinge toed
Mr to look under the mat tor the door
hey 1f she retnrued beiuro we did. We
were back by half -past nines and the
key was where we left 1t *ad teens we.
UO the In the bourne but the servant',
who had gone to bed. The natural sup-
position was that let* Hefty was gay
lag the night with tar 8wYlts; kat
when we tried to call up and find out.
we were told the line was out of order.
Theo we tried to 9* you here at the
, and womb told Feud tare la a d
gone out again."
"1 had," mid Markham shard,.
"Early arty this neeteing we ,tried 'She
said that you and Kim Baia draw* ta
between eight and Mme eederk last
nlgbt. That rang die Ate alarm right,
and I've been Mantis( the hotel one
tar, trying to get trach of you or Mr.
Landes. Have you anything at all to
offer?"
"Only this : that ()wen disappeared
Iasi night et about the same time ; and
that, a little Later, 1 was mat is the
northern part of the Tlsayad ea a
termed -up story which was Wended
to efface me for as Wein*, time."
":What was tib* framed -up doe?"
Martdham told it succinctly, begin-
ning with the t lsphooe message whit
had -presumably -caused Landis to w
across the street lo the !Attie Alive of -
Ikea and bringing hie own expertisee
down to date.
"Hay. that world macre that feu
three were the victfime of seise ea -
tended ertmloalsorgsmkmNlea." said the
dass�t. -ear ."-ate
could that he?"
"You're mid It." Markham sipped.
"11 I tell you that this 'urganlsettoa'
has made at leant two determined at-
tempts to murder Landis and me, yea
will understand how serious the situa-
tion L."
"Good Lord! Who ere these goat
starer .
"I wish I could tell you, but 1 can't.
Of the four principals I can acme oak
one; sod we have nothing to Involve
him directly. He M a former cities & et
yosra, whom you know very well -Her -
beet Canby."
Stlltngs Retuned. "indeed, we do
know him- fib our cost. Lord ! i with
Btarbuck were ben. He's the one IMO
la Brewster who could take this thug
by the nark and choke the mystery out
of ft!"
And at the moment, as tf t)flriap'
fervent wish bad evoked rutin, the de -
cowboy odes owner malted IgM way
through the revolving doors sod stood
before them.
(Tb be continued stat week)
A CALL FOS ANNIE
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Lurie I'd lay tae down and dist"
Listener Irielsg)-La Mie Laurie ha
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Christmas Cr•_
,y,l
A Fall Luna at PNop-to .Sit
All ?tuft::.
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The Christmas carol
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